Metro Mallers begin CBA era with win

The Albany Metro Mallers have moved to the suburbs. After playing the majority of their 40 seasons at Albany's Bleecker Stadium, the Mallers began their 2012 Empire Football League campaign Saturday by beating the Glens Falls Greenjackets 21-0 at their new home – Christian Brothers Academy in Colonie. Team owner and lineman Sal Iavarone said the decision to leave the city for the suburbs came down to a desire for attracting new fans to the Mallers' brand of semi-pro football. "Rent for one game here (at CBA) is more than the rent was for an entire season at Bleecker, but I decided to give it a shot here to see if we can build a fan base," said Iavarone. "Bleecker has a history, but it's worn off over the years," said Albany defensive back Gabe Young, who is also an assistant football coach at Colonie Central High School. "It's good to play here because I can bring my family and the kids I work with (at Powerhouse Fitness) here to see me play." Approximately 250 people came to the Mallers' CBA debut, and what they saw was a sloppy effort from both teams. There were numerous penalties, and each team turned the ball over multiple times. What fans also saw was the Empire Football League's most dynamic playmaker, Albany's CJ Tarver. The Bishop Maginn graduate had two long punt returns in the first half in which he eluded several would-be tacklers. The punt returns set up both of the Mallers' first-half touchdown drives. "It was our first real game. We got a lot of kinks out," said Tarver. When Tarver wasn't running back punts, he was running Albany's offense. The Mallers elected to use Tarver, a wide receiver, as their quarterback for most of the game. While Tarver attempted several passes, he spent much of the game handing the ball off to tailbacks Derek Adams and Sylvester Cooperwood – that is, when he didn't take the handoff and run the ball himself. "It's a little bit different (being the quarterback), but it's all right," said Tarver. DJ Jones scored Albany's first touchdown on a 1-yard run late in the first quarter. Cooperwood then forced his way into the end zone on a 1-yard run in the second quarter to make the score 14-0. Tarver sealed the victory late in the fourth quarter with Albany's third 1-yard scoring run of the game. Meanwhile, Glens Falls struggled to get anything going against Albany's defense. The Greenjackets' longest possession came in the third quarter when they held the ball for more than four minutes, but that was only because Albany was called for defensive holding on a Glens Falls punt attempt. The Greenjackets got the ball back on the automatic first down and earned another first down before the drive stalled. Young and Andrew Grant each had intercep-tions to lead the Mallers defense. Fans will have to wait a while to see Albany play at CBA again. The Mallers hit the road this week to face the Amsterdam Zephyrs. That's followed by a bye week before they host Lackawanna in a non-league game July 28.

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Metro Mallers begin CBA era with win

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